BNSF API Center
Our Application Programming Interfaces will enhance your business’s shipping experience with us. Here’s information for anyone just getting started with APIs, as well as experienced Web developers.
GETTING STARTED DEVELOPER CONSOLE
API - Application Programming Interface
APIs are a modern cost-effective way to communicate real-time data and actions between applications. In your everyday lives you are using APIs behind the scenes when you use mobile phone applications, websites and smart devices like intelligent thermostats and home monitoring solutions. Our suite of APIs let you retrieve key data from BNSF and take actions to manage your shipments directly in your applications.
The Business Value
Our APIs empower customers to customize their interaction with us in ways that work best for their business.
Enhance Shipment Visibility
Improve shipment visibility by displaying real-time shipment tracking information in your applications, visualizations, reports, and dashboards.
Streamline Processes
Reduce manual data entry by exchanging data between our applications, eliminating having to switch back and forth between your application and ours.
Execute Real-Time Shipment Actions
Take action directly in your applications and transmit the action to our applications, such as entering and exiting intermodal facilities to pick up and deliver freight.
The Technology Advantage
Our APIs are built on technologies that can be integrated into your applications in a wide variety of implementations to meet your system requirements.
Real-time Data
Real-time data exchange, designed to provide you with the right data at the right time.
Modern Technology
Modern technology built to integrate with a wide variety of applications, platforms, programming languages, and devices.
Endless Possibilities
Endless possibilities on how to integrate BNSF data and actions directly into your applications.
API Catalog
At BNSF, we constantly leverage emerging and new technologies to provide systems and solutions for our customers. The following APIs are available.
Shipment Tracking
- Retrieve current tracking information on carload, intermodal, and VIN units
- Retrieve current tracking information on agriculture, coal, and industrial products unit trains
- Retrieve the individual cars for agriculture, coal, and industrial products unit trains
Intermodal Hub
- Retrieve the lot location, J1 receipts, Release (Pickup) number, Domestic empty information and Railpass ID for intermodal units
- Submit chassis defects (Y/N) within BNSF intermodal hubs
- Using the rail waybill information, remotely submit an ingate or outgate for your driver bypassing the kiosk. *restrictions apply
- Report pre-arrival to hub with rail waybill ingate completeness check
Carload First Mile and Last Mile
- Retrieve local service notification information, which includes all the units that will be delivered and picked up today
Have an idea for an API?
We value your opinion and would love to hear your suggestions on future APIs.
API Support
API Technical Support Email: CustomerAPI@bnsf.com